Iron Flowers
by Peachy Garlic
Summary: Alanna comes from the convent changed, a different girl altogether. But the Great Mother Goddess' Chosen will never be left out of the course of history, and Alanna is no contradiction to the rules of Fate.
1. Prologue

A/N: Please read and review!!! I love my reviewers!!!

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**Prologue **

Alanna fell with a thump onto the soft sheets of her bed. Curling up, she reminisced over the day's events. Being teased by the other girls for her clumsy needlework, having her brother, family, and all she held dear insulted, every Daughter working their hardest to make her life a living hell. Around halfway through the day she had collapsed, shrieking vehemently at the First Daughter and earning herself a week of pot washing in the kitchens. Dinner had been a disaster; with her least favorite people tripping her and making her spill her soup everywhere, all over the floor. She was made to mop up the brown mess in front of the entire hall, the others aiming cruel verbal barbs at her limp form, feverishly wiping the cold flagstones.

Then a group of girls had trashed her bedroom, and she had had to clean it up. She has been stitching and mending the curtains nearly all night. They looked horrible, with stray threads and uneven patches, but she didn't care. The Daughters, who had been overseeing the project, had left when she had finished, late into the night. They had left her to clean her mattress, which had been covered in mud from outside. Numerous other things had been done to her quarters, but she was too exhausted to fix them. Turning her face to her bedside table, she looked at the framed painting of Thom she had, to find it on the floor, words carved into it with a knife.

_You don't belong here._

Alanna looked around at the gray, empty, stone walls of her room. She hated the walls, she hated the fences, she hated the girls, she hated the Daughters, and she hated everyone in the cursed convent that held her prisoner, all with an unfathomable and violent passion that she would keep with her for the rest of her life. Her spirit was naturally wild and raged at being bound and forced to do the hateful things that they taught in the convent. The prison had altered her mentality over the years, the mold for her spirit. The mold had failed, and her spirit had sunk down, irretrievably deep, into despair.

She would to go to court to find a husband tomorrow, when she turned fifteen. The First Daughter had said she would have to go early, as finding a husband _would_ take a while in her case. The Daughters hated Alanna as much as the girl hated them. She had made their lives into a living nightmare, turning the quiet, neat, and orderly convent upside down and inside out. Smiling, she remembered when she had covered their bedclothes in honey, how she had put spiders in their drinking water, and how often she had wandered into their privies to soap the seats. These few pranks had earned her the all-time low position of underdog in the Convent's hierarchy, and there she would stay until the few hours it was until she would have to awaken and leave.

They all knew Alanna had never been meant to be sheltered behind the ornamental iron gates of the convent, but there was nothing the Daughters could have done to reverse the situation. They had refused to teach her magic, even with her extraordinarily potent raw ability, because they had been afraid she would blow up the buildings. Alanna was more of a fierce, brave, warrior type, not someone who would do embroidery in her spare time. Ever since the time the tall, forbidding gates had shut with a reverberating clang behind her, she had felt a sense of inner superiority to all inside, that there was a side of her they would never know and she would never show. She was stronger than they were, and she would never allow them to break her spirit.

Everyone knew her story, of the wild plan that would have worked, if her brother and Lord Alan had not interfered. Thom had argued incessantly about the subject, finally agreeing. Nevertheless, he had wasted so much time arguing that Lord Alan became suspicious, and he barged in on them as Thom was forging his letters. He became furious, dispatching them on their separate ways immediately. If only Thom hadn't been so stubborn! If only…

Now Alanna had been locked up for years in a place she had dreaded to go to from the start, learning how to be a proper "court lady".

She was hopelessly unprepared for a world she would meet in two hours' time.

Smiling, she placed her head on her pillow. Her eyes focused on the uneven lines of stitching in her curtains before the image blurred and everything went black with the heavenly coming of sleep.


	2. Rain

A/N: Chapter 2. Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, and the plot belongs to me. Dragon is mine, too. Review! I love my reviewers!

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**Chapter 2 :: Rain**

The First Daughter of the Great Mother Goddess came to wake up Alanna. It was an hour after midnight, which was very early, even by convent standards, but she had a long way to go to get to the palace on time. She found Alanna sleeping peacefully, snoring slightly. Walking quickly over, she ripped off the clean white bedclothes and pulled the girl by her feet onto the floor. Alanna snuggled to the warm and thick maroon carpet by the hearth, turned over, and kept on sleeping, pulling her too-large nightgown around her slim body.

"Wake up!" A voice yelled furiously into Alanna's ear. She paid no attention. She knew exactly who it was.

"Wake _UP_!"

Lifting her head an inch from the floor, she mumbled groggily.

"It's one in the morning, and that's about the amount of sleep I got last night. An hour. What do you want?"

"You have to go to the palace today."

"Whoopee. What fun. I'd rather be stuck in this living nightmare with you than go there."

The older woman sighed in exasperation, and, lifting the girl's chin, she glared into the violet orbs.

"You will go. Even if I have to escort you, you will go." She said, emphasizing each word with a shake of the head she still held, her voice low and venomous, daring her to argue. She didn't take the bait. Alanna, and a sadly resigned Alanna at that, got up and shuffled over to her chest of drawers, taking out her usual dull gray tartan dress and tattered green slippers, along with loincloth, breast band, and thick woolen socks.

"No, no, no!" The Daughter ran over and snatched the clothes out of her hands. "You have to wear nicer clothes than those!"

Alanna smirked.

"Well, where will I get them? Surely the Convent doesn't want to spend its hard earned coins on a spoilt, worthless brat who will never find a husband within the next thousand years?"

"A spoiled, worthless brat who will never find a husband within the next thousand years, maybe, but we must set a good example in our convent. Come! Hurry, you'll be late!"

The First Daughter trotted out into the hall. Shrugging, Alanna followed her, shivering in her thin nightdress, rubbing her eyes with hands balled up into fists. The Daughter stopped at two iron double doors, pulling a large, rusty key out of a hidden inner pocket of her garments. She turned it in the lock and threw open the doors. It was her personal chamber. High ceilings and carved columns were cleverly painted in a swirl of shades of blue, like the cloudless sky that appeared on many a day at the mountainside convent. The First Daughter then walked up to a large wardrobe beside the large, paneled glass window. It was of finest mahogany, with sensual curves in the design that gave it a very odd look. Choosing a dress, she held it up to Alanna's thin frame.

"Well?"

It was a lurid and horrendous dress. Pink, with a low v-neck, plunging back, lacy, frilly, with a large and flowery hat in the same pink fabric of the dress. Alanna laughed heartily, falling on the floor in tears of mirth.

"You," she gasped, "You wear this?" She looked to be ten years old again, laughing ridiculously at one of her pranks on the Daughters. A strange change came over her in that moment, and a spark of life flitted through her eyes.

The older woman picked the younger from the floor, brushing off her dress.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me. Put it on."

Alanna blanched. Even she would not put that on. And she was used to crazy dresses. But this? Never. She drew the line.

"Put it on. Come here."

She backed into a column, wrapping her arms around it, her sensitive hands carefully feeling for footholds while keeping a wary eye on the Daughter.

"Come _here_!"

Alanna turned and began to climb, shimmying up the particularly tall column, using the decorative blue carvings and miniature sculptures as foot holds. Alanna had climbed trees completely bare of branches before, and columns were much simpler, especially with footholds. Resting her feet in the eyes of a carved marble squirrel, she taunted the Daughter who was fretting from below.

"Bargain."

"Come down here this instant, you wretch!"

"Bargain."

You're ruining my ornamental column! I'll give you-"

"Bargain."

"No!"

"Bargain!"

"_No!_"

"Let me wear something that I want to. Not that you'll have anything in that, evidently shown by your taste in that dress." She nodded towards the rows of hangers draped with all sorts of hand-me-downs and old dresses for girls to wear when they went to find husbands.

"Fine. You can wear a nicer gown. Now get down here, before you fall and break your neck!"

"I didn't know you cared. I'm not coming down until I see what I'm wearing. I can outwait you, and you know that for a _fact_."

The First Daughter was at a loss. She knew Alanna spoke the truth. Over a year ago, Alanna had put a centipede in another girl's bed. They had locked her with a loaf of bread and only dirty water in the cellars until she apologized. But she had never apologized. After five days, they had found her happy and comfortable in the dark, and were forced to take her out to continue her lessons. She hadn't been out waited once in her entire stay at the convent, no matter what the horrendous crime had been.

Holding up various horrifically lacy dresses, she ended up putting them all back, as Alanna had not even looked at them for shaking her head.

"What do you want? I can't keep this up forever, and there's nothing else."

"Boy's clothes."

"_What_? No, no, no, no, no!"

"Why not? That's what I want to wear. Promise?"

"No."

"Promise?"

"No."

"Please?"

"_No!_"

"Why not?"

"Fine. Promise. You can wear it for the first part of the journey, but you must swear to me that you will change into a dress."

"Good." She slid with great expertise down the pillar, landing with a flop on both feet. "Where are they?"

"Here." The Daughter presented her with a shirt and breeches she had had in case of emergency, as when a Cloisters boy was stuck out in the rain a year ago.

"Thanks." She walked out of the door, the Daughter at her heels with several dresses, babbling.

"I'm giving you three dresses, the standard amount. You'll also get money to buy your own clothing. I'm helping you with your final packing."

Alanna didn't care. She had gotten what she wanted.

**----**

Twenty minutes later, they were outside. They both stood in a wooden shelter, made to protect those in it from the elements while they waited for the ornate carriage that would take them to the palace. The First Daughter was smirking about something. Alanna couldn't have cared less. The shirt and breeches from the Convent's boys clothing supply fit wonderfully. There was so much freedom of movement with these on than a restricting corset and skirts. If Alanna had had any friends, they would have laughed at her. As she didn't, and didn't care what strangers thought, she was perfectly at ease.

A man walked up, a horse at his heels. It was a mare, with a deep brown coat and mysterious black eyes. She just thought he was a passer-by until he walked up to the First Daughter.

"This the girl, then?" He pointed to Alanna.

"Yes, her name is Alanna. Alanna, this is Coram. He'll be taking care of you at the palace."

"Pleased to meet you." She bowed, remembering that she had no skirt to curtsy with. The name seemed familiar…

"Pleasure." He handed her the reins of the mare. "You know how to ride?"

Pausing, she pushed them back and folded his hands over them.

"Hold these for a minute, if you will, Coram?"

"'Course."

Alanna pulled the First Daughter out of Coram's hearing.

"Where's the carriage?" she hissed, the prissy side of her bristling at the thought of riding in the wet.

"Oh, I see there no need for a carriage. You aren't wearing a dress. The carriage is solely for protecting clothes of the girls we send."

"But it's raining!"

"You will go."

"But…fine."

After all, she didn't want anyone to think that she had grown …_soft_…in her years at the convent. She was the same as she had always been. The Alanna who had come from Trebond would be the same Alanna she had been all those years ago, she determined.Stalking to Coram, she took the reains of the mare.

"Her name's Chestnut," Coram supplemented, "And she's yers to keep."

"That's what I would have called her." She stroked the mare's nose. Looking around, she added, "Don't you need a horse too?"

Coram laughed. He whistled loud and high, a wavering, capering tune caught Alanna's hearing. A large white stallion with black socks rounded the bend in the road, galloping at full speed. Muscles like tightly twisted steel, they knotted and working in perfect unison with the muscular body of an exercised animal. The majestic creature halted in front of Coram, showing no sign of exertion or of tack apart from bridle and reins. Apparently, Coram rode bareback.

"This here's Dragon. Say hello," he ordered the horse.

The horse appeared to understand. It came up to her and sniffed her pocket. She laughed and gave him one of the dried apricots she had saved for the journey. He munched thoughtfully, and then looked into her eyes. She drew back slightly. His were a light green, with strangely catlike slits.

"He and yer mount are friends," he said as Dragon nudged Chestnut with his nose. He swung his leg over Dragon's back and leaped up, nimbly for such a bulky man. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she muttered, being soaked by the rain that was steadily growing in strength with every passing minute.

Alanna gave a sarcastic wave to the First Daughter as they rode away. She didn't regret going away in the least.

"I used t'be a Royal Guardsman, until I served at Trebond. I stayed there-"

It hit Alanna like a flying cinderblock. "Coram! I remember you from when I was little! Don't you remember me? I'm the girl who was trying to shoot chickens with Thom's toy bow and arrow!"

"Of course! Y'were so small! Can't believe I didn't recognize you. But that's marvelous! Y've become a lady, Mistress Alanna," he teased.

They hugged around the shoulders, each nearly falling from their mounts.

"As I was sayin', after I met ye and served at Trebond for a few years, I left here to train boys at the convent. Then I was called to escort ye. And that's basically all that happened to me in me own life as of yet."

Alanna felt better then, speaking with Coram as with an old friend.

"Where'd you pick up Dragon from?"

"A friend."

"Coram! Where?"

"In Corus."

"Tell me!"

"No, you'll find out."

"You know I hate mysteries."

"No."

"_Tell me!_ Please?"

"You'll find out!" he roared good-naturedly, and the two laughed heartily.

The ride took until late afternoon. It felt wonderfully fresh to get out of the stagnant stone buildings she would always remember had imprisoned her. She could finally breathe in the fresh air, watch the wind tossing the trees, and let worries slip from her mind like water off a duck's back.

_I wish I were really a duck…_she thought as she wrung out her soaked shirt.

They reached Corus, making good time, even in the thick, gooey mud and pouring rain. Alanna had never imagined the city to be so colossal. People were everywhere, yelling, running, chatting, walking, singing, bargaining with pushy shopkeepers, staggering drunkenly, and thieving. She was so dazed by it all, she wished she had ten pairs of eyes instead of one. She was lost to how the horses managed to keep from stepping on and crushing the children who wove through the melee. After watching a thin, bedraggled, and innocent-looking child walk away with a rich man's purse, however, she kept a wary eye to her saddlebags.

"Don't ye have to change into a dress?"

"I never promised. I just said 'good'."

"Very well, then, miss. Keep an eye to yer bags, now."

A man with hazel eyes walked up to her, very close to her horse.

"Hello Alanna," he said with a wink, "Pleased to meet you, lass. I'll see you 'round." With those words, he disappeared into the crowds. Suddenly, and rather late and after the fact, Alanna wondered how he knew her name.

"Wait! Who are you?" Her yell was lost in the noise of the crowd.

The palace was huge. Tall stone turrets with pennants that fluttered in the wind were heavily guarded by stern looking men who Coram labeled as the Royal Guard. She could picture Coram standing up there, wielding his sword with his born ability.

_To think I could have been here all this time…_

**----**

Thom rushed to get ready. Alanna would be here soon.

He stuffed his stacks of class work inside his desk, sweeping trash into a small bin that was by his door. He stacked his innumerable books neatly onto the shelf. Making his bed quickly, he was just in time to hear a knock on his door. He opened it, finding Prince Jonathan. The Prince beckoned, and Thom followed.

"So you're sister's coming soon?" The prince's eyes met his calculatingly.

"Yes, her carriage should be here any minute now."

They trotted to the main gates. There was a small reception party of Thom's few friends to receive his sister. He imagined her to be in a dress, stepping daintily out of her carriage, smiling and waving, like the "fine woman" she was said to be. He hadn't received a letter from her in over a year, so her appearance and attitude would be a complete mystery to him. He fidgeted and cast a glance at the sundial in the nearby fountain and gardens.

The gates opened.

In came Alanna, dripping wet, riding a brown mare, and in dirt-covered shirt and breeches. She jumped off her horse, patted it on the nose, and ran up to Thom, shoes slopping water everywhere. She met him in a tight hug with a loud squelch.

"Brother."

"Sister."

She broke away to wring out her clothes, then looked around at the speechless people gathered there to meet the newest court lady, who was exactly the opposite of what they had expected. Thom had never felt so wrong in his life, and gave an apologizing look to his friends, who he was sure would ask him if he had been quite sane when he had described her to them.

"Hello. I'm Alanna, Thom's sister." She looked around, and, since no one could say anything for shock, shrugged and turned to Thom, after asking Coram to take care of the horses.

"I need to change."

"Yeah, we can see that."

After a few minutes of stony silence, Alanna could take it no longer.

"_Well?_"

"Follow me."

Sopping and smiling, she followed her brother. Careful to wipe her feet on the carpet outside the door for the rain, she hoisted her luggage onto her back. Taking in everything in the halls, remembering where they were going for future reference, and pelting Thom with questions was hard work. She sighed with relief when they reached his rooms, pushing several wet locks away from her face.

"Where will we eat?"

"Oh, you can eat with the other court ladies."

"Do I have to? Why can't I eat with you?"

"Well . . . do you want the whole palace to think you're a disgrace and a letdown?"

"Yes," said Alanna, after pondering for a moment.

"Then you can eat with us."

"Give me your room for a bit so I can get ready. Got a spare change of clothes?"

"Yes, in the closet, but do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Thom, you don't think I came here just to find a husband, do you? I'm here to multitask! I'm here to do what I had to miss because of your idiocy and our father's untimely entrance. I'm going to learn what a page and squire learn."

"Oh, no you aren't! I won't have any sister of mine gallivanting about and making a fool of herse-"

"Yes I am, and you'd better not get in the way, brother dearest, or I will dunk you in the river and let you be carried away by the current. Ah, so where are you going to be when you finally let me change an where will I find you?"

"Well, you have rooms too . . ."

"Where?"

"I'll show you after, but the servants didn't know you were coming so early, and they won't be done."

"Done what?"

"Cleaning."

"Oh. From who?"

"The last lady who recently found a husband."

"_Ah._"

"You know how good it feels to talk to you?"

"Yes, because I'm talking to you."

"I missed you."

"It's so lonely at that bloody convent with no friends, siblings, anything."

"Hurry and get dressed."

"I'm not going to get dressed with you here!"

"Oops. Right!"

He left, closing and locking the door for her.

She found the clothes easily, shedding her dirty and rain soaked ones for his clean white linen. She dried her hair with a towel and shook it out. She walked out into the hall where he was waiting for her.

"C'mon." He led her through a complex winding of tunnels, ending at the mess hall. He led her to the food table. She eagerly piled her plate high, as she hadn't eaten much on their journey besides apricots and a salted meat sandwich. Here they had beef stew and potatoes with carrots and peas. Custard tarts were for dessert. "Some of us are away, because we're knights and squires. I'm Sir Myles' squire, so I'm nearly always here and usually have very little to do, apart from the seldom duties and projects that he comes up with. Jon, Alex, Raoul, Gary and me-"

"I."

"Right. Well, Jon, Alex, Raoul, Gary and _I_ are the only ones who have masters who are staying here now. Everyone else will come at Midwinter. There will be balls, dinners, and plenty of suitors for you," he teased, nudging her. She playfully shoved him into a wall. He led her to a long table and a group of four friends who Alanna had seen when she had first come, soaking wet. They all stopped talking to stare at the white-garbed lady who stood beside her brother. The resemblance was very striking.

As Alanna learned, Thom had four friends.

She was surprised he had had any friends. After all, he was very unsociable. At least he had been.

Gary was a tall young man, with brown hair and chestnut eyes. He was the son of Duke Gareth of Naxen. Gary was a gambler and exceptionally intelligent. Raoul of Goldenlake was also tall, and Gary's best friend. He hated social occasions. He had black hair and black eyes. Jonathan of Conté had black hair and blue eyes, and was the heir to the Tortallan throne. Alex of Tirragen was the best swordsman at court. All four were to be knighted at Midwinter.

She sat down with them. At first, they were hesitant to talk to her.

"So," said Alex, "How was the weather on your trip to the palace, Lady Alanna?" Alanna herself raised her eyebrows.

"Raining heavily, Sir Alex."

"Do you travel much, Lady Alanna?"

"No, I have not left the convent since I was eleven."

Alex whistled.

"Cooped up in one place, Lady Alanna?" This time Gary asked the question.

Exasperated, Alanna burst.

"Can't we talk about something remotely interesting other than the weather and how long I was in the cursed convent? And _stop_ calling me Lady Alanna!"

They all raised their eyebrows, even Thom. He whispered hurriedly.

"She has a horrible temper, so stay clear of her for a while, and she'll get used to you. She hated the convent, but if hadn't been for me . . ." He looked towards Alanna guiltily. "She would have come here and I would have gone there. She would have turned out very different."


	3. Quarry

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to verasilyn. The rest of the fic is dedicated to treanz-alyce until further notice. Disclaimer: Nothing you will recognize belongs to me, except the plot. Thanks to RS for editing, and to Fugitive for plugging my fic in hers! Review! I love my reviewers!

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**Chapter 3 :: Quarry**

There was silence after Thom's grave statement.

"How?" Alanna asked curiously.

"Well, for one thing . . ." He hesitated, looking around. "Can we talk privately about this?"

"Sure, let's go." she said as she got up and walked towards the mess hall doors without a backward glance.

"Wait!" he called after her. When Alanna didn't turn, he looked apologetically at Jon and his friends before running to catch up with her.

He caught her at his door. Trying not to look at her, he unlocked the door with a tiny golden key he had hidden in his leather jerkin. After hustling her inside, he carefully bolted the door and turned to face her.

"What?" she asked, unnerved slightly by Thom's stare.

"You've changed," he said hesitantly.

"How?" Alanna was starting to get irritated now.

"Look at yourself. Don't you remember—"

"Thom! Stop it!"

"—Remember how you used to be?"

"What do you mean?"

Her brother sighed. He ran his fingers through his wavy orange hair, walking over to the window that overlooked the sunny palace gardens, watching a ladybird winging its way towards the window.

You never used to be like this." he said quietly, his voice strange, almost as if he were guilty about something.

"Like what?" Alanna asked, still confused.

Her brother was solemn now, more dignified than she remembered and he seemed to see something about her that she couldn't. She watched him as he reached out a finger to the window, as though trying to touch the creature that was on the other side of the glass. He avoided her eyes as he watched the insect crawling around the finger pressed against the glass, as though it could see it, yet not feel it.

He struggled to find the right words.

"So…temperamental. So proud, and isolated. The others were just being friendly, and you…"

"Thom, I don't know what's wrong with you or what you're talking about! I tried, and they just don't understand! And neither do _you_!"

"Alanna..." he tried again, but she had already barged out of the room and slammed the door.

Thom sighed, putting his head in his hands. He shook his head miserably, not noticing a large black cloud appear over the sun, casting his room and the entire palace into gloomy darkness, the ladybird's figure lost in the dark.

**----**

Alanna stormed outside, away from Thom's room. What he said just wasn't true. She was the same as she'd always been. She'd been sure that the convent would not change her so much that no one would be able to talk to her and realize the way she really was. She was sure that they were all ignorant to the person she was inside.

'_But then why were you so upset by Thom's words?'_ asked a treacherous voice in her head.

Although she was unwilling to admit it to herself, he had struck a sore spot. She _had_ been feeling increasingly isolated over the years. She had just told herself that it was because there had been no decent company at the convent, but now it was making her wonder.

_Could it have been _her_ fault that none of the girls at the convent would approach her? _

Suddenly, she couldn't stand being inside the castle anymore. She had to be out. She wanted to run away; away from the people, her problems, the questions, and the rules. She just wanted to get away from it all. She began to go as fast as her legs could carry her. It was all she could do to keep her head down and run, ignoring the horrified gasps of women nearby at her clothing.

Once she was out of the halls, she sprinted away. She lost track of the number of trees that she dodged, the bushes she jumped, or the flowerbeds she trampled. She just kept her head down and ran, not even bothering to look where she was going. She had the urge to cry, a feeling she had not had in a long time, but she wouldn't let herself. The tears would not fall; they would never fall, never again…

**----**

She did not know how long she'd been running for, but it came as a bit of a surprise to her when her legs gave out and fell to her knees. She put her hands on the ground to catch herself but sat up instantly, biting her lip as she felt sharp stones cut into her skin, causing it to bleed. Her eyes widened as they took in her surroundings. She was in a small quarry, full of already cut stone. The land was bare. There was no sign of life in the circular pool of abandoned rock.

Beyond the ring, trees and bushes could be seen. Nothing came within arms' reach of the strange outcrop, though.

Alanna looked up to see that the sun was still reasonably high in the sky. After all, it was spring and the days were growing longer. She'd still have some time to explore for a bit. Forgetting her earlier problems as her curiosity got the better of her, she got up to explore. At first, her legs seemed like jelly and would not obey her command to stand. Once again, she was surprised that she'd run so hard. After a while of sitting, she was able to stand and walk around.

Ignoring the blood trickling down her palms, she stumbled through the basin-like area. It was full of massive boulders, resembling blocks that would be put in a wall. Evidently, long ago, someone had been constructing. It had long since been abandoned. Dust had gathered all over the place and it had a forgotten feel to it. However, the moss and the other types of ivy that would be expected to grow around the rocks was absent, as were the small creatures and insects that should have been there. The entire place was eerily empty.

She calculated that she'd have about another hour or so to look around before heading back. Her inquisitive nature was aroused. She carefully peered behind every boulder, searching for some clue as to why the place had been deserted.

Some minutes after her search had begun, she scraped her hand along a flat, sharp rock. She winced as she inspected it, gingerly lifting a thick flap of skin the size of her palm on the back of her hand. She had forgotten about them until then, now she realized just how badly she had scraped then up. She would have to do something about them soon. Using a bit of her Gift, she stemmed the blood flow, the only thing she knew how to do from reading the forbidden books of the Daughters' Library. Then, sitting on a chair-like piece of rock, she tore a few strips of cloth off the bottom of her tunic and tied the makeshift bandages around her hands.

After bandaging her hand, she felt much better. The healing had helped the stinging pain a bit and the bandages made sure that the wounds would not be infected or dirtied. She got up to do some more exploring.

Suddenly, Alanna tripped and fell heavily. Wiping her face with her bandaged hand, she looked back at the solid thing her foot had connected with. It was a long, cylindrical object. She hadn't remembered seeing it before. Taking a closer look, she noticed it gleamed in the afternoon sun. Things that were as old as this rock bed were not shiny at all, probably rusted to nothing. She reached out with her hand to touch it and pulled away sharply, her fingers frozen. Small flakes of frost covered her palms. She shook them in panic. Slowly, painstakingly, they fell off, one by one. Her face was pale. This place was evidently guarded by something she did not understand, something magical. She felt a wave of foreboding wash over her. She looked up, suddenly wary.

Alanna leapt up in a panic. The sun was sinking into the horizon, and was minutes away from disappearing altogether. She had lost track of time. She wouldn't be able to return to the castle before dark. A howl echoed across the land. She shuddered as more howls joined the first, the eerie voices vibrating through the air as the last ray of light disappeared, revealing the pinpoints of stars above.

Wolves.


	4. Hunter

**Chapter 4 :: Hunter**

Thom continued to gaze through the thick glass, watching the clouds darken. The sky was tinted a deep blue near the horizon that faded into a midnight black above. He pressed his hot forehead to the window, reveling in the cool night air that soaked through the pane and refreshed his mind. A bell tolled in the distance, sweet and brazen.

He leapt up.

That bell signaled the hour before dinner…and Alanna still had not returned. _Where was she?_

Thom glared out at the clouds that threatened rain. Cursing violently, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

**----**

The chilling hunt call grew closer in the darkening sky. Alanna shuddered and rubbed her arms sporadically as she looked around her with the darting eyes of a hunted creature. She was afraid. She had nothing, no one to defend her. She was alone. Her eyes passed over the odd cylinder once again. She looked away, but turned back, noticing something different about it. It was giving off a powerful signal that she did not quite understand. It seemed to be…calling something, or someone, to it.

Awed by the properties of the object, she crept closer, her fear of magic put at bay momentarily. Squatting near it, she cocked her head, eyes wide. A pale finger with a nail of chipped red polish reached out to prod it. The thing was like a magnet, grasping her finger and shoving it against the cold metal. The howls reached her ears again. She struggled to pull away. She was yanked onto her side, flattened, as an unseen force pulled her hand and wrapped it around the tube. She gave the thing an unsure look, and, realizing what it was trying to get her to do, pulled upward.

A long baton was unearthed from the rock. She stared at it in puzzlement. Her surprise ended abruptly when sharp claws raked her back. The force of the blow knocked her to her knees. Her back arched in pain as she felt something leap onto it, digging deep with powerful jaws. She lashed out with the baton and caught her attacker with a blow that sent it reeling backward and off her body, her nerves screaming in agony, her lips parted in a silent shriek.

She whirled to glimpse a gray wolf pack, numbering five in all, watching her with eyes of different tints. Some green, some brown. The alpha-male had eyes that glared a malevolent yellow. Alanna gulped. She was no match for one wolf, let alone five. The leader circled her, snarling, ears flattened. At that, her anger and sense of pride overtook her fear. She met its eyes squarely with her purple ones, glaring a challenge of her own as her feminine side melted away. She could not show weakness toward these creatures, she knew. It would only get her killed faster.

The thing crouched low to the ground, tail erect, fur around the head on its ends. It was not the least bit fazed by her malevolent glare. It only gave her a look that resembled scorn and…laughter; laughter at her foolishness. Then, without warning, it pounced. Alanna was not in the least bit ready for this exchange. She watched, knowing she had to find a way to get away, yet not able to move her body, as the beast flew directly into her with outstretched claws.

It rammed into her, forcing the air out of her lungs in a heartbeat. It stood above her, paws on her breasts, poised to rip her throat open at a moment's notice. Alanna writhed, trying to free herself from under the thin yet heavy wolf. A low, menacing growl stopped her movements. The thing's muzzle was sniffing her face, its claws digging painfully into her chest, judging her fit for the pack. She could not move, could not scream.

The hunter gave her throat a nip. He looked back toward his pack-brothers, communicating in silence, a way she could not and would not ever understand. The huge male lifted his paws off her chest and leapt off her, teeth bared. Alanna was surprised. _Why were they letting her go?_ She did not know if she could run in her condition very far. She would not make it back to the palace.

The male gave her a warning snarl. She realized, in horror, that they _wanted_ her to run. They wanted to chase her down like they would a deer or some other helpless prey. And she would have no choice. They would bring her down no matter what. She grimly turned, hating having to amuse a pack of wolves, but knowing that she had a better chance of escaping if she ran than if she stayed and fought. The fact that irked her was that the wolves knew it too. She started to flee, her legs pounding rhythmically on the stone. Her shoes were fairly worn out and did not serve well for sprinting. Her air came out in gasps, the raking the claws had inflicted stinging with the lash of the cold night air.

The wolves took up the howl. They had begun to pursue her. She did not dare turn back to see the progress of her hunters. That would mean losing precious time in the race to get to safety before they got to her. She sucked in air, pushing herself to the limit. She was already out of the quarry and running across the open fields towards the city and the palace. The wolves would not follow her into the realm of Corus. They were afraid of men in large groups, she knew from her teachings at the Convent. The shepherd there had taught her all he had known. Now it came in handy the only problem was getting there in time, and the wolves were closing in fast. Her pace began to slow. Her feet drummed monotonously as she sluggishly tried her best to keep her speed. The overjoyed howls of predators on the hunt drew closer with every step. She looked around, and, finding no shelter, plodded onward. Her muscles ached, her arms limp, her feet screaming.

She could not run any further.

She fell to her knees, then onto her hands, breathing deeply. The air smelled of the sweet wild roses that grew nearby. She could now hear the wolves' feet nearing their destination.

_It's already pitch black. I'd never find my way home anyhow…_

_Goodbye, Coram._

_Goodbye, Father._

_Goodbye, Thom._

Her last thoughts were interrupted by a loud swish as something flew by her ear. A yelp sounded from behind. She looked around to see the yellow-eyed wolf crash to the ground. The other wolves howled, enraged, and leapt for the unseen archer.

Two wolves went down like dominos. She couldn't tell what was hitting them in the dark. The remaining two ran away, stopping when they were out of range to snarl back at their attacker before vanishing into the night.

Alanna turned to gaze into the trees. A man emerged on horseback and trotted toward her.

The hooves halted some distance away. Two legs appeared, merged with the four of the animal, separating to march toward her with a brisk gait. She blinked at the smell of polish from the boots.

She stood shakily and gazed at the face above her.


	5. Stairs

**Important A/N:** I've gone and changed something because it sort of messed up the whole thing with the character I'm using, so the guy who saved Alanna was _not _an archer. Just so you know. And I've also redone the past chapters with some bold stuff/horizontal rules and cut out the review responses from before because those were just…distracting. Anyway, apart from that, enjoy the chapter and review because we all know that reviews are the ultimate motivation. And if you want a personal response tell me and leave something for me to contact you by, be it a screen name or an e-mail address. Oh yes, and as far as plot holes go, Jon and the Sweating Sickness will visit next chapter, as will (hopefully) some new people and maybe even an animal. Excited? I am. So review and you might get something special in the next installment, not to mention you'll get more sooner!

I love my reviewers!

--Peachy

* * *

**Chapter 5 :: Stairs**

Alanna didn't recognize the man she was looking at, even though she had the feeling she'd seen his face somewhere recently. Emotions flooded her and she looked away, feeling the man's gaze locked on the top of her head. She simply collapsed onto the ground, shaking with relief. The wolves were gone. They were gone. She wasn't dead, and she was _very_ glad of that-why shouldn't she be? Few would have wished to die at the paws of wolves, her among them.

A moment later, the thought occurred that she might not have been out of danger quite yet. She turned her attention to the man who had driven the wolves off. He took a step towards her and she tensed, but relaxed when she saw that he was not looking at her, but rather, the fallen wolves. She watched as he prodded one of the creatures' corpses with his boot and then, stooping, pulled something from its chest. He did the same with the other before walking back to her. Alanna saw a glint of steel and realized that what she'd originally thought were arrows were in fact daggers. The man bent to wipe the blood off from the blades before stashing them away.

He was clad in a simple green cloak and black breeches beneath a plain white tunic. He had a lean, but muscular build. She couldn't make out his features too clearly in the dark, but she suspected that he was in his mid-twenties or so.

Then she noticed his eyes in the dim light. They stood out in his face, a deep, gorgeous hazel. His eyes met her own and his stare softened, his mouth relaxing somewhat. She looked away quickly, embarrassed at being caught staring. He bent down and offered her his hand. There was something friendly about that gesture. She reached for it and took it, feeling its warmth. She figured this stranger wouldn't harm her. She clambered onto her feet, only to collapse into him, her knees wobbly from the night's happenings.

"Easy, lass." His voice was soft. "Y've been through a lot."

She tried to mutter out a thank you, but couldn't. Her strength and courage had all evaporated. She wanted to curl up into a little ball and be safe from the world and its terrors. She gave an involuntary shudder and the man nodded sympathetically. He helped her hobble over to his horse, lifting her with ease into the saddle and swinging up behind her.

Under normal circumstances she would never have gone somewhere with an unknown man on his horse-she had learned enough about rape at the convent to know that not all men could be trusted and that it was an incredibly stupid thing to do. But something about him was different. If he had wanted to harm her, he would certainly have done so already, when she was weak and in shock. He _had _rescued her, hadn't he? Maybe she was just a fool to trust a complete stranger so easily, but she hardly had a choice, considering that she could hardly support her own weight and was shaken to the core.

A sudden wave of exhaustion made her tip drunkenly. He transferred the reins to one hand and slipped the other around her waist to steady her so she wouldn't fall. Clicking softly, he nudged the mare into a smooth walk. When sure of her balance in front of him, he kicked the horse into a gallop. Alanna's tired eyes, already somewhat adjusted to the light, saw the dark silhouettes of the trees and the waving grasses as they sped by. There was no moon in the sky tonight, but there was still a very faint light that caused the world to be shrouded in an eerie glow, casting everything in washes of gray and black. The wind whipped at her face, and she would have felt exhilarated…_if she weren't…so…tired…_

**----**

She woke to the most wonderful aroma, something that made her sit upright and look around for the source. Slowly, as her mind woke up, she realized that she was most certainly not in the palace. Suddenly much more conscious, she slowly examined her surroundings. It was a quaint, brightly lit little room, with the little cot and a small dresser occupying almost all of the space. Trying to get up, she realized she was in the same clothes as before, someone had bandaged her back where the wolves had gotten her and redressed the ones on her hands. There were several other injuries as well, it seemed; ones that she hadn't even realized she'd received during her wild dash from the wolves. Carefully peeling off a corner of one bandage, she realized that her cuts had been cleaned and covered with some sort of sticky ointment. Not wanting to smear it, she carefully patted the dressing back down.

At that moment, a dignified looking woman walked in, balancing a huge tray. She set it down on the dresser and turned to peer speculatively at Alanna. She was tall and thin, her chestnut hair streaked with gray. Her features seemed vaguely familiar from somewhere, but Alanna couldn't remember ever meeting this woman before.

"You're up. Good." Alanna was handed a steaming mug filled with some dark liquid that smelled strongly of cinnamon . "Drink," she ordered. "It'll help to get you back to normal."

Alanna blew on it and took a small sip. It tasted of fennel . Recognizing it as an potion that Maude had often made her drink when she was little, Alanna took a larger gulp, letting the hot liquid fill her with a sense of security and contentment. She had often been given this when she was sick or had broken an arm.

"Now, you had yourself some real nasty scrapes. Let's see how they're turnin' out…"

She walked over and, sitting down on the edge of the bed, began to briskly check the bandages. She said nothing for a while and Alanna fidgeted slightly.

"Um…" she said uncertainly. "Thank you for saving me, Miss…?" She recalled some of what had happened, though it felt more like a dream now.

"M' name's Eleni Cooper," she said. "And it wasn't me who rescued you."

"It wasn't?" she asked. Then she remembered the strange man that had helped her the night before. "That's right," she mumbled, half to herself, "It was that strange man…with the daggers. Who was he?"

"You mean y' don't know who he was?" she asked, seemingly surprised.

Alanna shook her head.

Mistress Cooper opened her mouth to say something and then closed it and smiled in amusement. "Who was it?" Alanna asked again. The information suddenly seemed very important to know, though she did not know why.

"He's…my son," said the older woman slowly. She seemed to be picking her words carefully, just like Thom had been choosing his carefully yesterday.

"Oh," Alanna managed. She suddenly realized why she thought she'd seen the woman before. She also had piercing eyes, close to the hazel of the man's but with a touch more brown. The lips and the face shape were also the same. "What's his name?" she asked cautiously, wondering what it was that Mistress Cooper was not telling her.

Eleni Cooper shook her head. "I don't think that's for me to tell," she said in the same tentative manner. "You should ask him yourself if you happen to see him again."

"But I need to thank him," protested Alanna. "He saved my life!"

"Don't worry. I have a feeling that you'll be seein' him again soon enough.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

The woman only shook her head, smiling secretively. "You'll see," she said. "You'll see. Now where do you live, lass? I'll take you home. You're parents must be worried sick."

Alanna wanted to ask more, but decided against it. "The palace," Alanna said. "And I don't think they'll be over-worried." She smiled wryly. "My brother is a slightly different story, though."

"The palace? So you're rompin' 'round in britches and you're from the palace? Not surprised." Alanna stared and Eleni laughed. "You seem like the type of lass who'd do such. You've a powerful Gift, yourself, if I'm not mistaken." Alanna looked at her, surprised.

Mrs. Cooper let out a chuckle. "I've the Sight, lass," she said, answering Alanna's unspoken question. "I can see your magic, albeit only a little."

Alanna relaxed slightly. Then, she cracked a wide yawn and Eleni hid a smile. "You're tired. Get some rest and I'll take you up to the palace later, I'm sure your brother can wait another hour or two."

**----**

Eleni brought her back to the gates late that afternoon. After profuse thanks, Alanna turned to the gates and took a deep breath. She was ready to tackle the challenges of Court, even if she hated every moment of it. Something about that experience that night had given her a fierce determination to stare life in the eye and not look away from it. Her eyes flowed over the gates, taking in the twined leaf design, resting for a moment on an iron rose. She glanced at it for a moment, blinked, and walked forward, head held high.

She walked straight past the guards, pretending not to notice their stares at her clothing. She only got a few steps before being bowled over by a flying orange-headed someone. Laughing, she realized instantly who it was. He brought her down in an enthusiastic tackle, rolling over several times before stopping some feet away. Scrabbling to his feet, he pulled her up and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug that strained her bandages and re-opened some of her slashes. She gave a pained grin and struggled somewhat for breath.

"You can let go now," she gasped out. He released her sheepishly, and it was only then she realized how tired he looked. "What were you doing last night, brother?" she inquired as she clapped his face in her hands and inspected the bags under his eyes. "You look like you came back from the dead."

"I spent all night looking for you. Where _were _you? I looked _everywhere_. The stable, the watchtower, the cellars, the classrooms-you weren't _anywhere!_ I-"

"Ah, so our young man found you?" The prince walked forward, flanked by Gary and Raoul. Alanna was slightly annoyed by this sudden appearance, but didn't know what to say to the prince or his ever-present friends. She settled with staring at her feet. After all, that was perfectly open to interpretation. She didn't want him to think she was furious with him, for some reason…maybe because she didn't want to cause unnecessary argument. Why, she wasn't sure, but all she knew was that he had cut off her brother and that really did bother her. He got the message, however. She wondered at his perceptivity as he backed off to leave them in peace. She let out an unreasonably loud sigh of relief, causing her to go pale, the prince to turn around and smile, and her brother to snort with laughter. She prayed for the ground in front of her to open up and swallow her. She aimed a kick at him and tried to look dignified, failing rather miserably. Thom looked at her happily, receiving a glare.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy you're loosening up around here, that's all."

"I am _not_ loosening up!"

"Whatever. Anyway, are you ready to go sigh over some discussion?"

"Shut up!"

"You're _supposed_ to act ladylike."

"Please allow yourself to silence your pert attitude, you greatly offend my personage."

"Better."

**----**

When finally in Thom's room, Alanna pulled him onto the bed beside her.

"Tell me about the prince and his friends."

"Why all this sudden curiosity?" Thom raised his eyebrows.

"Shut up. I need to be somewhat educated about these people if I am to do my job, also known as find a rich suitor and get married off as soon as possible!"

"My my, someone's had a change of heart. What happened to learning to be a knight?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Please?" she asked, tactically ignoring his question.

"All right. What do you want to know?"

That night, she learned of all the most important people at court, by name if not by sight. They were lessons that she already would have known had she paid any attention during her time at the convent, but she was a fast learner and, by the end of the night, she could recite the order of succession backwards and knew the names and descriptions of all the most powerful figures of Tortallan politics.

It wasn't exactly that she had decided to marry one of them, but she realized that she had to adapt somewhat to court life if she were to survive life at the palace. The convent certainly would not take her back now, and she certainly wouldn't be able to start page training. Just the thought made her laugh. She shook her head sadly. _Nowhere to go but forward._

**----**

Whenever anyone asked her what had happened, Alanna simply told him or her that she had gotten lost. She certainly didn't feel comfortable with mentioning that she'd got herself into a scrimmage with a pack of wolves on her very first day at the palace. Her thoughts often wandered to that night, particularly to that baton that had iced her hands over. Something had happened that she felt sure had to do with magic and her Gift, but she didn't want to think about those things now. She had never really gotten over her hate of magic and her own Gift.

As most things do over several months, the incident of the wolves became a memory at the back of her mind as more important things came into play. She was finally getting acquainted to court speech, etiquette, and the activities of a lady. She actually enjoyed them sometimes, as long as she wasn't necessarily forced to do them. It became like a challenge for her, to pick up each art and master it. She still met with the rest of the girls from the convent on certain days, and was too afraid to skip out as she would most certainly be the most noticeable when missing. But this was actually becoming _entertaining_…something she could never have contemplated before. She was losing her rough edges, she realized, and to her surprise, she actually liked it somewhat.

No one had ever said that she could only like doing one type of thing, had they?

Alanna still _had_ a craving for the more knight-oriented arts; it had lessened only a little. She had a little bit of raw natural talent that had wilted when not cultivated, and she longed to learn to throw a knife and handle a bow when she watched others do these things. _But whom to ask?_

Thom was the most un-knightly page she'd ever seen with a sword (or anything, for that matter) and the other boys' reactions to her request would be unpredictable. She couldn't ask anyone she didn't know, and she couldn't trust anyone not to tell that she wanted to learn such things. In the end, she stared longingly out of her window at the boys in the practice courts, sparring with staffs and swords. How she desired to be one of them. She would give _anything_…

A cold, gray day in the fall, she had to go downstairs and see them up close. She couldn't stand it any longer. Some other maidens went to watch the pages and squires in the practice courts-why couldn't she? Trotting down the stairs and making her way through the passages, she eventually found the courts. There was one at the end of a long corridor that ended in a little arch. It seemed like a single, secluded court, walled and gated. Alanna walked to the gates and ran her hands over the grainy wood. There was an opening near the top big enough for her and her annoying butter yellow dress, and she wanted to see what was inside…the hinges were halfway up the door itself…

Meeting no difficulty, she reached the other side. The court was very large and looked empty, with just a little shed on the opposite wall. Scanning the area and not seeing anyone, she reached the shed and opened it. Expecting to see weapons, she instead found a winding staircase leading up into the wall.

Now _this_ was genuinely odd. A _staircase_? The smell coming from the stairs was like that of a musty book-this place was obviously quite old. Something about the odor made her a little nervous. Nevertheless, she traveled ahead, curious as to what lay further. The doors of the little shed closed behind her with a loud thud, cutting off the light and the air.

She was trapped.

_Curses, curses, curses._ She couldn't see a _thing_. It was blacker than the night she had encountered the wolves…she shuddered. _Bad time to bring back that memory…right when you don't need to be scared. What now?_

She waited for several minutes but her eyes refused to adjust to the light. She even tried kicking the door, but it wouldn't budge an inch. Not being able to use any weapon very adeptly, even a knife, she hadn't brought one with her. It was so quiet all she could hear was her heartbeat, thumping rather too quickly for her liking.

_Must I always get into such sticky situations?_ Alanna wondered as she slowly felt her way around the wall. Knocking off her shoes, she felt the delicate skin of her feet connect with the cold raised stone of the first stair. _Only one way to go from here…up._ Painstakingly, carefully, she clambered up, step by step, feeling her way through the passage that just kept getting higher. She had no idea where she was.

It was annoying to feel so blind and helpless in the dark. Her heart still beat very quickly, fluttering somewhere high up in her chest as she hummed snatches of a tune to break the ever-pressing silence. Her hand suddenly came into connection with a rusted handle. Giving it a tug, she pulled it open, a breeze whistling through the stairway and a blinding light filling her vision. Steadying herself on the doorframe, she waited until her eyes got used to the brightness.

Several moments later she squinted into the bright noonday sun. She was on top of some sort of tower. Clambering up and dusting off her dress, she walked into the sunshine, surfacing from the dank stairway onto a sunny balcony.

It leaned out over the moat and looked onto the countryside. She could even see the grand, picturesque horizon view of Corus a little into in the east, smoke rising from the chimneys and alleys, and a long train of wagons and carts leading up the hill along the road to the castle. Turning about she found a semicircle of wall with an open door in the center, the wall rising high above her to form the turret of the southern wing of the castle.

Something about this terrace was alluring, appealing to her senses. Alanna walked out onto the stones, oddly cooling to her bare feet, and leaned over the edge, looking down on a head-spinning drop into the moat. Everything was silent; nothing stirred…something she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Not realizing the passage of time in the tranquil place, she stayed up there for hours, looking out to the hills, letting her thoughts wander. Just sitting and thinking for an entire afternoon-this was something she never got to do. Before returning, she ripped off a corner of her dress and jammed it in the stair door to leave a little sliver of light. She then proceeded through the door in the wall, as though walking through a very colorful and vivid dream.

Ending up in a hallway she barely recognized, she decided to amble about, eventually finding her way out of the maze of passageways and to her rooms. She felt no care, as though all the weight on her shoulders had disappeared, and it left her in a strange state of bliss. Her mind was completely tranquil, and she wished it could feel that way all of the time.

She refused inwardly to go to the ball that night. She wasn't in the mood. Her bed creaked in protest as she seated herself on its edge.

A knock sounded on her door.


End file.
